CONICET researcher won the 2024 International Fisheries Sciences Award

Ana Parma, researcher of the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), was awarded the 2024 winner of the International Fisheries Sciences Award granted by the American Fisheries Society for her scientific contributions to the preservation of fishery resources globally. The announcement took place at the 9th World Fisheries Congress in Seattle, Washington, United States.

Parma works at the Center for the Study of Marine Systems (CESIMAR) in the CONICET-CENPAT CCT and is recognized for her experience in modeling, evaluation, conservation, management and participation of fisheries stakeholders as well as for her assistance and work in the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna. Her contribution to the advancement and application of science to critical conservation challenges and her deep knowledge of the fishing sector lead her to have this recognition. She is also a member of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and a William R. and Lenore Mote (FSU) eminent scholar and member of the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation. He has served on the editorial boards of prominent fishing magazines and has been a member of several international fishing boards, commissions and advisory panels.

“I feel honored and very grateful to the colleagues who so generously nominated me and supported my nomination,” said Dr. Parma, adding: “I was pleased to see that the selection process emphasized something that I believe has always been very central to my professional practice: generating knowledge in a participatory manner in conjunction with the users – the fishing sector in my case – and putting it at the service of management and public policy making. This is something that is not always given importance in conventional evaluation systems”.

Regarding the challenges faced by fisheries management, the researcher assured that “this is where science contributes directly to generating the necessary knowledge support so that catches can be regulated and the exploitation of resources can be developed in a sustainable manner, maintaining the productivity of resources and reducing the impact on ecosystems.” And she specified: “To satisfy the high demand for knowledge that this generates, continuity is required in monitoring and fisheries evaluation campaigns, training and continuous improvement of professionals in charge of analyzing fishery information and preparing management recommendations. and the stability of the public institutions involved.”

Since 1992 and every four years, the World Fisheries Congress has been held as a meeting place for international experts to exchange ideas and perspectives on new research, emerging topics, scientific advances and governance related to the industry, conservation and management of the fisheries field.